Table of Contents

• Foreword by Arnold J. Toynbee
• Introduction by Harold V. Livermore
• Part One. Royal Commentaries of the Incas
• To the Most Serene Princess
• Preface to the Reader
• Notes on the General Language of the Indians of Peru
• Book One
  • I. Whether there are many worlds; it also treats of the five zones
  • II. Whether there are antipodes
  • III. How the New World was discovered
  • IV. The derivation of the name Peru
  • V. Authorities in confirmation of the name Peru
  • VI. What a certain author says about the name Peru
  • VII. Of other derivations of new names
  • VIII. The description of Peru
  • IX. The idolatry of the Indians and the gods they worshipped before the Incas
  • X. The great variety of other gods they had
  • XI. The kinds of sacrifices they made
  • XII. The life and government of the ancient Indians, and the things they ate
  • XIII. How they dressed in those ancient times
  • XIV. Different kinds of marriage and diverse languages; their use of poison and spells
  • XV. The origin of the Inca kings of Peru
  • XVI. The foundation of Cuzco, the imperial city
  • XVII. The people subdued by the first Inca Manco Cápac
  • XVIII. On some fabulous accounts of the origin of the Incas
  • XIX. The author’s declaration about his history
  • XX. The villages the first Inca ordered to be founded
  • XXI. The Inca’s teachings to his vassals
  • XXII. The honorable insignia that the Inca gave to his followers
  • XXIII. Other more honorable insignia and the name Inca
  • XXIV. The names and titles the Indians gave to their kings
  • XXV. The testament and death of the Inca Manco Cápac
  • XXVI. The royal names and their meanings
• Book Two
  • I. The idolatry of the second period and its origin
  • II. The Incas glimpsed the true God, our Lord
  • III. The Incas kept a in a sacred place
  • IV. Of many gods wrongly attributed to the Indians by the Spanish historians
  • V. Of many other meanings of the word Huaca
  • VI. What an author says about their gods
  • VII. They apprehended the immortality of the soul and the universal resurrection
  • VIII. The things they sacrificed to the Sun
  • IX. The priests, rites and ceremonies, and laws attributed to the first Inca
  • X. The author compares what he has said with the statements of the Spanish historians
  • XI. They divided the empire into four districts; they made a census of their subjects
  • XII. Two duties performed by the decurions
  • XIII. On certain laws the Incas had in their government
  • XIV. The decurions gave an account of births and deaths
  • XV. The Indians deny that an Inca of the blood royal has ever committed any crime
  • XVI. The life and deeds of Sinchi Roca, the second Inca king
  • XVII. Lloque Yupanqui, the third ruler, and the meaning of his name
  • XVIII. Two conquests made by the Inca Lloque Yupanqui
  • XIX. The conquest of Hatun Colla and the pride of the Collas
  • XX. The great province of Chucuitu peacefully reduced; and many other provinces likewise
  • XXI. The sciences known to the Incas: first, astrology
  • XXII. They understood the measurement of the year, and the solstices and equinoxes
  • XXIII. They observed eclipses of the sun, and what they did at eclipses of the moon
  • XXIV. The medicines they had and their way of curing themselves
  • XXV. The medicinal herbs they used
  • XXVI. Their knowledge of geometry, geography, arithmetic, and music
  • XXVII. The poetry of Inca amautas, or philosophers, and harauicus, or poets
  • XXVIII. The few instruments used by the Indians for their crafts
• Book Three
  • I. Maita Cápac, the fourth Inca, conquers Tiahuanaco; the buildings there
  • II. Hatunpacassa is reduced and Cac-Yaviri conquered
  • III. Those who surrendered are pardoned; the explanation of the fable
  • IV. Three provinces are reduced and others conquered; colonies are established; those who use poison are punished
  • V. The Inca gains three provinces and wins a hard-fought battle
  • VI. Those of Huaichu surrender; they are courteously pardoned
  • VII. Many towns are reduced; the Inca orders the construction of a bridge of osiers
  • VIII. Many tribes are reduced voluntarily to submission by fame of the bridge
  • IX. The Inca gains many other great provinces, and dies in peace
  • X. Cápac Yupanqui, the fifth king, wins many provinces in Cuntisuyu
  • XI. The conquest of the Aimaras [Umasuyu]; they forgive the curacas; they place landmarks on their boundaries
  • XII. The Inca sends an army to conquer the Quechuas; they agree to submit
  • XIII. They conquer many valleys on the seacoast, and punish sodomy
  • XIV. Two great curacas bring their dispute to the Inca and become his subjects
  • XV. They make a bridge of straw, reeds, and rushes over the Desaguadero; Chayanta is conquered
  • XVI. Various devices used by the Indians for crossing rivers and fishing
  • XVII. Of the conquest of five great provinces, besides other smaller ones
  • XVIII. Prince Inca Roca reduces many great provinces, both inland and on the coast
  • XIX. They take Indians from the seacoast to found colonies inland; the Inca Cápac Yupanqui dies
  • XX. The description of the temple of the Sun and its great wealth
  • XXI. The cloister of the temple and the dwelling places of the Moon, stars, thunder, lightning, and rainbow
  • XXII. The name of the high priest, and other parts of the house
  • XXIII. The places for sacrifices and the threshold where they took off their sandals to enter the temple; their fountains
  • XXIV. The garden of gold and other riches of the temple, in imitation of which there are many others throughout the empire
  • XXV. The famous temple of Titicaca and its fables and allegories
• Book Four
  • I. The house of the virgins dedicated to the Sun
  • II. The rules and duties of the chosen virgins
  • III. The veneration they had for things made by the virgins and the law against those who might violate them
  • IV. There were many other houses of chosen virgins; the strict application of their laws is proved
  • V. The service and ornaments of the virgins; they were never given in marriage to anyone
  • VI. The women who were favored by the Inca
  • VII. Other women who preserved their virginity, and widows
  • VIII. How they usually married and set up house
  • IX. The heir to the throne married his sister; the reasons they gave for this
  • X. Various ways of inheriting estates
  • XI. The weaning, shearing, and naming of their children
  • XII. They brought up their children without pampering them
  • XIII. The life and duties of married women
  • XIV. How women visited one another; how they kept their clothes; public women
  • XV. Inca Roca, the sixth king, conquers many nations, among them the Chancas and Hancohuallu
  • XVI. Prince Yáhuar Huácac and the meaning of his name
  • XVII. The idols of the Anti Indians and the conquest of the Charcas
  • XVIII. The reasoning of the elders and how they received the Inca
  • XIX. Some laws made by King Inca Roca; the schools he founded in Cuzco, and some of his sayings
  • XX. The seventh king, the Inca “Weeping-Blood,” his fears and his conquests, and the disgrace of the prince
  • XXI. A warning given by an apparition to the prince to be conveyed to his father
  • XXII. The discussions of the Incas about the apparition’s message
  • XXIII. The rebellion of the Chancas; their ancient deeds
  • XXIV. The Inca abandons the city; the prince saves it
• Book Five
  • I. How they increased the agricultural land and divided it among their vassals
  • II. Their system of agriculture; the festival of tilling the land assigned to the Inca and the Sun
  • III. The quantity of soil given to each Indian, and how it was manured
  • IV. How they shared water for irrigation; they punished idlers and slackers
  • V. The tribute they paid the Inca and the reckoning of their bins
  • VI. Clothing, footwear, and arms were supplied for the warriors
  • VII. Gold, silver, and other objects of value were not offered as tribute, but as presents
  • VIII. The storing of supplies and their use
  • IX. They supplied clothing for their subjects; there were no beggars
  • X. The system of stock-raising and division of the flocks; wild animals
  • XI. The laws and ordinances of the Incas for the benefit of their vassals
  • XII. How they conquered and civilized new vassals
  • XIII. How they appointed officials for every kind of duty
  • XIV. Their system of dealing with property, both public and private
  • XV. How they paid their tribute, the amount of it, and the laws concerning it
  • XVI. The system of collecting tribute; how the Inca rewarded the curacas for the precious objects they offered him
  • XVII. Inca Viracocha has news of his enemies, and of assistance coming to him
  • XVIII. A very bloody battle; it is won by a stratagem
  • XIX. The liberality of Prince Inca Viracocha after the victory
  • XX. The prince pursues the enemy, returns to Cuzco, has an interview with his father, and dispossesses him of the empire
  • XXI. On the name Viracocha, and why it was applied to the Spaniards
  • XXII. Inca Viracocha has a temple built in memory of his uncle, the phantom
  • XXIII. A famous painting; the rewards given to the Inca’s allies
  • XXIV. New provinces subdued by the Inca; and an irrigation channel to water the grazing land
  • XXV. The Inca visits his empire; ambassadors come and offer him their vassalage
  • XXVI. The flight of the brave Hancohuallu from the Inca empire
  • XXVII. Colonies settled on Hancohuallu’s lands; the vale of Y’úcay described
  • XXVIII. He names his first-born, and prophesies the coming of the Spaniards
  • XXIX. The death of Inca Viracocha; the author saw his body
• Book Six
  • I. The fabric and adornment of the royal houses
  • II. They copied all sorts of objects in gold and silver with which to adorn the royal palaces
  • III. The accounts of the royal household; and those who carried the king’s litter
  • IV. Halls used as meeting places and other aspects of the royal palaces
  • V. How the kings were buried; their obsequies lasted a year
  • VI. The solemn hunting excursions made by the kings throughout the country
  • VII. Posts and relays, and the messages they carried
  • VIII. They counted by threads and knots; the accountants were extremely accurate
  • IX. What they recorded in their accounts, and how these were read
  • X. Inca Pachacútec visits his empire; he conquers the Huanca tribe
  • XI. Other provinces won by the Inca; their customs and the punishment of sodomy
  • XII. Buildings, laws, and new conquests made by Inca Pachacútec
  • XIII. The Inca subdues the hostile provinces by hunger and military strategy
  • XIV. The good curaca Huamanchucu, and how he was subdued
  • XV. The people of Cajamarca resist, but eventually surrender
  • XVI. The conquest of Yauyu, and triumph of the Incas, uncle and nephew
  • XVII. Two valleys are subdued; Chincha replies arrogantly
  • XVIII. The obstinacy of Chincha; its final surrender
  • XIX. The ancient conquests and false boasting of the Chinchas
  • XX. The principal feast of the Sun, and how they prepared for it
  • XXI. They worshipped the Sun, went to his house, and sacrificed a lamb
  • XXII. The auguries of their sacrifices, and the use of fire
  • XXIII. How they drank to one another, and in what order
  • XXIV. How the Incas were armed knights, and the tests they were submitted to
  • XXV. They were required to know how to make their own arms and their shoes
  • XXVI. The prince underwent the ordeal, and was treated more severely than the rest
  • XXVII. The Inca awarded the insignia to the leading candidate, and a member of his family to the rest
  • XXVIII. The insignia of the kings and other Incas, and the masters of the novices
  • XXIX. The surrender of Chuquimancu, lord of four valleys
  • XXX. The valleys of Pachacámac and Rímac, and their idols
  • XXXI. They summon Cuismancu to capitulate; his answer and the terms
  • XXXII. They go to conquer King Chimu; a cruel war is waged
  • XXXIII. The obstinacy and misfortunes of the great Chimu, and how he surrendered
  • XXXIV. The Inca aggrandizes his empire; his activities until his death
  • XXXV. He increased the number of schools, and made laws for their good government
  • XXXVI. Many other laws of Inca Pachacútec; his words of wisdom
• Book Seven
  • I. The Incas established colonies; they had two languages
  • II. The heirs of chiefs were brought up at court; the reasons for this
  • III. The language of the court
  • IV. The usefulness of the language of the court
  • V. The third solemn festival in honor of the sun
  • VI. The fourth festival; the fasts; and their way of purging their ills
  • VII. A nocturnal rite for expelling ills from the city
  • VIII. The description of the imperial city of Cuzco
  • IX. The city contained the description of the whole empire
  • X. The site of the schools, that of three royal palaces, and that of the chosen virgins
  • XI. The wards and houses to the west of the stream
  • XII. Two donations made by the city for charitable purposes
  • XIII. King Inca Yupanqui seeks to make a new conquest
  • XIV. The events of the expedition to Musu until its completion
  • XV. Traces found of this expedition
  • XVI. Other unfortunate occurrences in the same province
  • XVII. The Chirihuana tribe, its life and customs
  • XVIII. Preparations for the conquest of Chile
  • XIX. The Incas win the regions as far as the valley called Chile; the messages and replies they exchanged with other new tribes
  • XX. A cruel battle between the Incas and other tribes; the first Spaniards who discovered Chile
  • XXI. The rebellion of Chile against Governor Valdivia
  • XXII. A new order of battle; the stratagem of the old Indian captain
  • XXIII. The Indians prevail owing to a treacherous plan executed by one of their number
  • XXIV. Valdivia slain; the war has continued for fifty years
  • XXV. New misfortunes in the kingdom of Chile
  • XXVI. The peaceful life and occupations of King Inca Yupanqui until his death
  • XXVII. The fortress of Cuzco; the size of its stones
  • XXVIII. The three circumvallations, the most remarkable part of the work
  • XXIX. Three towers, the master masons, and the Weary Stone
• Book Eight
  • I. The conquest of the province of Huacrachucu, and the meaning of its name
  • II. The conquest of the first villages in the province of Chachapoya
  • III. The conquest of other villages and of other barbarous tribes
  • IV. The conquest of three large, warlike, and recalcitrant provinces
  • V. The conquest of the Cañari province; tis riches and its temple
  • VI. The conquest of many other large provinces as far as the confines of Quito
  • VII. The Inca conquers Quito; Prince Huaina Cápac is present
  • VIII. The three marriages of Huaina Cápac; the death of his father; his sayings
  • IX. Maize and what they call rice, and other seeds
  • X. The vegetables that grow in the earth
  • XI. The fruit of larger [plants and] trees
  • XII. The mulli tree and the pimento
  • XIII. The maguey tree and its uses
  • XIV. The banana, the pineapple, and other fruits
  • XV. The precious leaf called coca, and tobacco
  • XVI. Their tame animals; the flock they kept
  • XVII. The wild flocks and other creatures
  • XVIII. Lions, bears, tigers, and monkeys
  • XIX. Land and water fowl, tame and wild
  • XX. Partridges, pigeons, and other lesser birds
  • XXI. Varieties of parrots; their talkativeness
  • XXII. Four famous rivers; the fish found in Peruvian rivers
  • XXIII. Emeralds, turquoises, and pearls
  • XXIV. Gold and silver
  • XXV. Quicksilver, and how metal was founded before the use of quicksilver
• Book Nine
  • I. Huaina Cápac orders a golden cable to be made; the reason for this and its purpose
  • II. Ten of the coastal valleys give in of their own free will, and Túmbez surrenders
  • III. The punishment of those who killed the officials left by Túpac Inca Yupanqui
  • IV. The Inca visits his empire, consults the oracles, and gains the island of Puna
  • V. The people of Puna kill Huaina Cápac’s captains
  • VI. The punishment of the rebels
  • VII. The mutiny of the Chachapoyas, and Huaina Cápac’s magnanimity
  • VIII. The gods and customs of the Manta tribe; their subjugation and that of other savage peoples
  • IX. The giants of those parts and how they met their deaths
  • X. What Huaina Cápac said about the Sun
  • XI. The revolt of the Caranques; their punishment
  • XII. Huaina Cápac makes his son Atahuallpa king of Quito
  • XIII. Two famous roads in Peru
  • XIV. Huaina Cápac heard that the Spaniards were off the coast
  • XV. The testament and death of Huaina Cápac and the prophecy of the arrival of the Spaniards
  • XVI. Mares and horses; how they were bred in the early days and their great value
  • XVII. Cows and oxen; their prices, high and low
  • XVIII. Camels, asses, and goats; their prices and their breeding in Peru
  • XIX. Pigs; their great fertility
  • XX. Sheep and domestic cats
  • XXI. Rabbits and pure-bred dogs
  • XXII. Rats; their great numbers
  • XXIII. Fowls and pigeons
  • XXIV. Wheat
  • XXV. The vine; the first man to grow grapes in Cuzco
  • XXVI. Wine; the first man to make it in Cuzco; its price
  • XXVII. The olive; its first importer into Peru
  • XXVIII. The fruits of Spain and the sugarcane
  • XXIX. Garden plants and herbs; their size
  • XXX. Flax, asparagus, carrots, and aniseed
  • XXXI. New names for various racial groups
  • XXXII. Huáscar Inca demands that his brother Atahuallpa shall do homage to him
  • XXXIII. Atahuallpa’s devices to allay his brother’s suspicions
  • XXXIV. Huáscar is warned and calls up his warriors
  • XXXV. The battle of the Incas; Atahuallpa’s victory and his cruelties
  • XXXVI. The cause of Atahuallpa’s atrocities and their most cruel effects
  • XXXVII. The same cruel treatment is extended to the women and children of the royal blood
  • XXXVIII. Some members of the royal blood escape Atahuallpa’s cruelties
  • XXXIX. Atahuallpa’s cruelty extends to the servants of the royal house
  • XL. The surviving descendants of the royal blood of the Incas
• Index

About the Author

Garcilaso de la Vega (1539–1616) wrote numerous works of history and poetry.

Editor Harold V. Livermore was a professor of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of British Columbia.